44, was written in 1879–1880 and dedicated to Nikolai Rubinstein, who had insisted he perform it at the premiere as a way of making up for his harsh criticism of Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto.

[3] The work is scored for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets in B-flat and A, 2 bassoons, 4 horns in F, 2 trumpets in D, timpani, solo piano, and strings.

Nikolai Rubinstein had likewise made amends with the composer (after his initial harsh criticism) by learning and performing the work, which added to its popularity.

He wrote to his patroness, Nadezhda von Meck, "I want to dedicate it [the new work] to N. G. Rubinstein in recognition of his magnificent playing of my First Concerto and of my Sonata, which left me in utter rapture after he performed it for me in Moscow."

Still, he was concerned about Rubinstein's reaction, writing again to von Meck, "I tremble at the thought of the criticisms I may again hear from Nikolai Grigoryevich, to whom this concerto is dedicated.

He suggested tactfully that perhaps the solo part was episodic, too much engaged in dialogue with the orchestra rather than standing in the foreground, but adding, "... as I say all this, having scarcely played the concerto once through, perhaps I am wrong."

The first Russian performance was entrusted to Tchaikovsky's friend and former pupil Sergei Taneyev, but the concerto had its world premiere in November 1881 in New York City, with the pianist Madeline Schiller.